The present invention pertains generally to medical equipment and, more particularly, to ultrasonic devices and methods for removing obstructive matter from anatomical passageways, including the removal of obstructive matter from the cerebral vasculature, prostate tissue from the urinary tract and/or obstructive matter from the fallopian tubes.
The prior art has included various ultrasonically vibrated surgical and ablative instruments for treating obstructive disorders of blood vessels and other anatomical passageways or cavities.
The prior art devices which purportedly utilize ultrasonic energy, alone or in conjunction with other treatment modalities, to treat obstructions within blood vessels or other anatomical structures of the body-include those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,433,226 (Boyd), 3,823,717 (Pohlman, et al.), 4,808,153 (Parisi), 4,936,281 (Stasz), 3,565,062 (Kuris), 4,924,863 (Sterzer), 4,870,953 (Don Michael, et al.), 4,920,954 (Alliger, et al.), and 5,100,423 (Fearnot), 4,136,700 (Broadwin), 4,192,294 (Vasilevsky), 4,750,448 (Wuchinich), 4,750,902 (Wuchinich), 4,765,332 (Fischell), 4,808,153 (Parisi), 4,832,023 (Murphy-Chutorian), 4,867,141 (Nakada), 4,870,953 (Don Michael), 4,877,033 (Seitz), 4,886,061 (Fischell), 4,922,902 (Wuchinich), 4,936,281 (Stasz), 4,974,581 (Wiksell), 4,989,588 (Kubota), 5,058,570 (Idemoto), 5,069,664 (Guess), 5,149,319 (Unger), 5,151,084 (Khek), 5,154,723 (Kubota), 5,156,143 (Bocquett), 5,163,421 (Bernstein), 5,163,433 (Kagawa), as well as foreign publications nos. WO87-05739 (Cooper), WO89-06515 (Bernstein, et al.), WO90-0130 (Sonic Needle Corp.), EP316789 (Don Michael, et al.), DE3,821,836 (Schubert), DE2,438,648 (Pohlman), GB 1,531,659 (Gekhman, et al.), EP 342448 (Bakelite), EP 293472 (Bakelite), and EP 209468 (Sarl).
Although the prior art has included numerous devices for ultrasonic treatment of intracorporeal obstructions, there remains a need in the art for the development of new and improved ultrasonic devices having improved or differing capabilities for specific blood vessels or regions of the body, such as the intracranial and extracranial vessels of the cerebral vasculature and/or the tubes and ducts of the genitourinary tracts of the male and female.
The present invention provides methods for ultrasonically treating obstructions of anatomical passageways of the mammalian body with concomitant infusion of a fluid (e.g., saline solution) in a manner which will dilate or fluidically expand the surrounding anatomical structure so as to facilitate passage of a catheter through the obstructed region of the anatomical structure. Methodologies in accordance with this embodiment of the invention are particularly useful in treating intravascular obstructions as well as obstructions of the male or female urogenital tract, including, but not limited to obstructions of the fallopian tubes and prostatic obstructions of the male urethra.
Further in accordance with the invention, there are provided methods for ultrasonically treating obstructions within anatomical passageways of the mammalian-body while concomitantly aspirating and removing matter from the anatomical passageway so as to prevent escape of solid particles or other matter created or released by the ultrasonic treatment process. In accordance with this embodiment of the invention, there are provided methodologies which are particularly applicable in the ultrasonic treatment of obstructions within intracranial and extracranial cerebral blood vessels which supply blood to the mammalian brain.
Further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a first embodiment of an ultrasound treatment system incorporating an ultrasound delivery catheter having one or more fluid infusion lumens for infusing fluid through the catheter, to effect fluidic dilation of the anatomical structure wherein the obstruction is located.
Still further in accordance with the invention, there is provided a second embodiment of an ultrasound treatment system incorporating an ultrasound delivery catheter having at least one aspiration lumen extending longitudinally through the catheter to aspirate and remove particles or other debris from the anatomical structure wherein the obstruction is located.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description and the accompanying. drawings.